


Caretaker

by RaccoonMama



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Brothers, Family, Gen, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-27
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-13 00:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaccoonMama/pseuds/RaccoonMama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Spine has always been the caretaker of his brothers...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caretaker

He was always the mature one.

There was the issue that he was exhausted, but that didn’t stop him from immediately heading over when he heard the Jon crying out from a staircase at the zoo, finding him sitting at the bottom with his leg bent out of shape beneath him. He gave a little sigh when he found him, reaching down to gently scoop him up, letting him hide his brass face against his shoulder.

“It’s all right, Jon,” the Spine murmured softly. “Michael’s just wandered off for a moment to get some water for all of us and your Crystal Pepsi out of the cooler in the back. Then we’ll have him take a look at your leg.”

They had some time before their sets started for the day, at least, so they could tune him up enough to be able to get him on stage. They would just avoid doing Rex Marksley so he didn’t have to move around much. Walking back over to their spot near the shady trees, putting him down on top of a bench so he could stretch out the damaged leg and roll up the pants to take a look at how bad it was.

He got a good look before extracting a handkerchief from his pocket, smiling as he reached up to gently wipe away oil that was leaking from his little brother’s eyes. “Here now, Jon, it’s not so bad. We’ll get you patched up as best we can and we’ll do low impact sets today. Then, once we’re home, we can fix this up proper. I’ll even see if Sam will be willing to stop and get us ice cream on the way back.”

When the Jon smiled, the Spine smiled back, straightening his wig brother’s gently before adjusting his hat. The smaller robot shifted, reaching up to scrub at his cheeks with the back of one hand. “Can it be from the really good ice cream place? From Mariposa?”

“Please, Jon; to do anything else after you’ve had a fall like this would be absolutely uncivilized.” He adjusted the smaller robot’s bow tie. “I do want you to try not to run when we’re at the zoo, though, so this doesn’t happen again. Remember, I’m not always going to be nearby to hear you.”

The Jon gave an enthusiastic nod, his wig nearly slipping forward over his eyes, and the Spine smiled. He would forget about this in a week and they would have a repeat performance, but at least he would behave for the time being.

* * *

He was there the day that Rabbit’s hand had suddenly clenched shut hard as they started a set and he was unable to properly hold his melodica. Staying close to their eldest brother, he carried melodies as the antique automaton tried in vain, clearly distressed, to get his long fingers to uncoil. When Rabbit’s elbow and shoulder started to lock up as well, the Spine still stayed close.

The end of the set saw Rabbit’s entire right side completely seizing up, and as the Jon smoothly settled the crowd and made it all seem like part of the show, the Spine scooped his brother up and headed off the stage. For once the eldest brother did not protest, shaking faintly. The little malfunctions never bothered him, but the big ones – the ones that shot through his processor and left him shaking and unable to move – were the ones that genuinely frightened him and left him glad his brothers were there to care for him.

Today he was fussy about it, but he still let the Spine work on getting him out of his vest and shirt. They left the pants in tact for now; usually the hang-up was somewhere in his chest anyway, so for now, he just did his best to keep him from being too fidgety while Michael got his things together.

“You’re starting to get old, Rabbit.”

“Y-y-you’re not tha-that much younger-er than me, w-w-w-wise guy.”

The Spine just sighed, steam rising from his back. “Listen to you. You must’ve overheated.” He rubbed his brother’s back lightly, giving a faint smile. “You’re such a mess.”

The only response he had to that was to huff steam at his younger brother, though he didn’t really resist as the Spine moved away rusted parts and carefully wiggled away chunks that had oxidized to make things easier for their human companions to work. Rabbit finally just settled to letting the Spine work, and gave an appreciative half smile when the Spine grabbed his hand as Steve dug around to find the source of the malfunction.

On the stage, during the next set, the malfunction was an act and he winked when he stumbled. The Spine always had his back.

* * *

That was the way it was, and had really always been. He was always there when they fell, and some days, it wore on him. Some days the Jon got into more trouble than usual, and would drag Rabbit right along with him. And some days? That meant he went to their shows lethargic and puffing steam in such a fashion that he looked like some kind of tall, silver chimney.

It was because of this that he was sitting quietly in the cool room between sets right that moment, arms folded on his knees, gazing at the floor. He hadn’t had a chance to catch much in the way of rest in the past several days and the connections where his spinal column fused with his chassis were misfiring, sending little shocks of pain up his back whenever he moved. He didn’t say a word, however: his brothers needed the attention more than he did. He could always muscle right through it with a smile and his brothers would never realize the difference.

After all, he was not the most active one during their performances. That feel between the Jon and Rabbit, and he could just play off that he was observing their shenanigans with that cool, quiet gaze. No one would suspect a thing.

He shuttered his photoreceptors, only to open them a moment later when he heard Rabbit’s creaking, jerky gait approaching him. He had all of a million excuses in his mouth when his elder brother stopped in front of him, leaning down and reaching out to hug him.

The action was unexpected, but the Spine did not resist it, letting his head be pressed into Rabbit’s warm copper chest, listening in silence as his boiler bubbled and his gears ticked away at a steady, even pace. His long, narrow arms, curled around his taller sibling, and he let an audible sigh out of his bellows when he felt the Spine finally relax.

“Y-you need to just stop.” His grip grew faintly tighter. “You’re always pushing-ing-ing yourself.” He brought one hand up so he could keep his brother’s head resting against his chestplate. “You hurt too s-sometimes, and that’s perfectly okay. We-we-we won’t be mad i-if you need to rest. If you n-need to tell us you’re hurting. That’s okay. We all hurt sometimes.”

The Spine said nothing. He brought his arms up, wrapping them around his brother in silence, just resting quietly against him as he took a moment to collect himself. “I’m just tired, is all.”

He heard Rabbit huff both through his chest and above his head. “Well, then, I s’pose we’re gonna hafta make sure you get some rest! When we get b-back tonight, we’ll make sure Michael’s got the-the-the Jon, and I’ll watch a movie. A-a-and you’ll be able to get to shut down an’ just relax.” He rubbed his brother’s shoulders with his hands, a smile clear in his voice. “Y’gotta pay attention t’these things, the Spine. We don’t wa-wanna lose you. So… you rest.”

And for once, the Spine did not argue.

He was always the mature one. Always taking care of his brothers. Sometimes, though, it was nice to be the recipient. It was a reminder, a small one in the grand scheme of things, of how much he was truly loved.


End file.
